Connector for electrodes.



No. 673,453. Patented May 7, [90L l. L. ROBERTS.

CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRODES.

(Application'flled June 25, 1895.)

(No Modal.)

1m: nonms PETERS w. PHOTOUTHO" wuumarou. 04 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAIAH L. ROBERTS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROBERTS CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY,

CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRODES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,453, dated May 7, 1901.

Application filed June 25,1895. Serial No. 553,947. (No model.)

T0 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAIAH L. ROBERTS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Connectors for Electrodes, of which the following is a full, true, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to connectors which are used for maintaining the continuity of an electric circuit through and between an electrode and a conductor through which electric energy is supplied to the electrode. Heretofore the aforesaid connection has been made by placing one or more carbon plates or rods or platinum Wires in more or less intimate contact with granules or fragments forming the electrode. This form of connector is objectionable and unsatisfactory where chlorin is liberated in the presence of oxygen in the course of electrolysis owing to the rapid destruction of the carbon or the corrosion of the platinum. I

I will describe a connector for maintaining the continuity of an electric circuit through and between an electrode and a supply-con ductor embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features thereof in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through an electrolytic tank containing an electrode and showing a connector embodying my invention in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the method of forming a connector such as is shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a plate comprised in the connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top view of a sectional connector, the completed connector being circular in form. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section, on a larger scale, of the connector shown in Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

A represents an electrolytic tank; B, an electrode; O, the current-supply wire, and D the connector, to which the supply is connected and which is in electrical contact with the electrode.

b represents a vent for the escape of gases formed during the process of electrolysis. This may be inserted in the connector during its formation.

The electrode B may be of the form shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 442,336, granted to me December 9, 1890, and the present invention is designed to provide a good and intimate contact with an electrode of that form, but also to any electrode, and in general to that class of electrodes comprising a mass of granulated or broken substances, as coke, carbon, charcoal, or retort-carbon. The electrode B may be held by a cup 5, the pores of which are filled with gelatin.

The connector D com prises, essentially, two plates 01 d,which are separated and em bedded in an inert non-destructible and conducting cement b and a granulated conductor F. The conductor O is connected to one of the plates-as, forexample, the plate cZ-and conducting-strips d are located between and in contact with both plates. Preferably these strips d will be connected to one of the plates. The conducting-cement b is a mixture of resin, 'asphaltum, and a conducting material, preferably carbon, which is illustrated by means of dots, the granulated conductor consisting of granulated carbon or coked anthracite coal. In forming the connector I may proceed as follows: A mold E (see Fig. 2) of the form and dimensions corresponding to that of the desired electrode is first provided. It may consist of thin sheet metal. The plates (1 d and strips d are then placed in the bottom of the mold, and the cement 6 which is heated, is run into the mold. On top of this I place the layer of carbon or coked anthracite coal F, but which is not combined with resin and asphaltum. A board or other suitable device, with or without a weight, is then placed on the whole mass while it is cooling. When cold or congealed, I strip the mold E from the conglomerate mass. The connector is now reversed and placed upon the electrode B in the manner shown in Fig. 1, it being moved under slight pressure over the electrode B in order that it may be seatedv well thereon. When the connector is in po. sition, I pour over it a molten mixture of asphalt and resin, (indicated by the letter F This forms a seal and also prevents displacement of the connector.

In case of very large electrodes I will not form the connector in one piece, but will form it of a number of similar sections, placing as many of these sections upon the electrode as will sufficiently cover the same and binding the same together by a cement. A metallic rod may then be soldered to the sections to electrically connect them, and the supply-wire C is attached to this conductor. In Figs. 4 and 5 Iha've shown such a sectional connector. Each section is formed in a separate mold in the same manner as hereinbefore described-that is to say, a plate d is laid on the bottom of the mold, which has attached to it the strips d", and then a plate d, similar to plate d, laid on the strips (V. The cement is then poured into the mold to bind the parts and the section built up with more cement and the conductor-facing F. After a sufficient number of sections have been made in this manner they are assembled to form the connector and cement poured into the spaces between the sections to bind them firmly together. A metallic conductor F is then soldered to the several sections. When the connector is made, a Well L will be formed, through which a liquid or salt-crystals may be fed. It will be seen, therefore, that the gases produced during the course of electrolysis cannot reach the plates, since they are embedded in the cementing material, and therefore they will not be destroyed or become ineitective.

Having described my invention,what I conpln rality of sections, eachcomposed of a mass ofa granulated conducting material united by a cement, substantially as stated.

2. A connector for the purpose set forth, having in combination a mass of granulated carbon united by a cement, a conductingplate embedded in the body of the connector and in electrical communication with said carbon, and a second plate to which the current-supply wire is connected, and which is electrically connected to the first plate, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a conducting-plate, a second plate separated from the first plate, conducting-strips interposed betweed the two plates, and a mass of a granulated conductor with which one of the plates is in electrical communication, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of an electrode and a connector, said connector comprising a conducting-plate to which the supply-wire is connected embedded in a conducting-cement, and a granulated conductor in intimate contact with said cement.

5. A connector comprising a conductingplate with which a supply-wire is connected, a conducting-cement in which said plate is embedded, and a granular conductor in intimate contact with said cement.

6. A connector comprising a number of sections cemented and electrically connected together, each of which comprises a conductor-plate, a conducting-cement in which said plate is embedded, and a granular condoctor in intimate contact with said 'cement.

It testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAIAH L. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

ANTHONY GREF, WILLIAM A. POLLOGK. 

